Chef Abhishek Kumar Shares His Favourite Seafood Recipes 

Seafood has a special place in the heart of every non-veg lover. From a variety of fishes to crabs, water bodies provide us with lots of exotic dishes. Made with various flavourful spices and herbs, seafood dishes are a perfect choice for big events and feasts. In India, fish is the most common seafood, but crabs, prawns and lobsters have a separate fanbase. 

They are ideal ingredients for soups, salads as well as curries. Apart from being delicious, seafood is also packed with plenty of essential nutrients. They are high in protein, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins A and B. These nutrients are beneficial for proper functioning of the brain and eye. As seafood is low in saturated fats, it is also good for heart health. 

Lobster Fra Diavolo  

Ingredients  

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  
• 4 cloves garlic – thinly sliced  
• 1/2 cups of tomato pelati  
• Rock salt  
• 1 cup stock - preferably lobster stock  
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano  
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme  
• Few basil sprigs  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine  
• 1 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes  
• 2 lobster tails   
• 60 gm spaghetti  
• Brandy  

Method  

• Place a large stock pot of generously salted water onto boil.  
• In a large deep sided pan heat olive oil, add garlic slices and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is aromatic.  
• Add tomatoes, crushing with wooden spoon. Season with salt and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes.  
• Add stock and cook again for 5 minutes. Add herbs, brandy and wine and cook for 5 more minutes.  
• When the water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. When al dente, drain and reserve some of the pasta water in case necessary.  
• While the pasta is cooking, add pepper flakes, and lobster medallions and cook until lobster is opaque. Just a few minutes.  
• Transfer drained pasta to saucepan and toss well to combine. Garnish with lobster tail shells if desired and serve immediately.  

Malabar Prawn Curry  

Ingredients  

• 250 grams prawns  
• 1 cup coconut milk  
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste  
• 1 sprig curry leaves  
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 
• 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds  
• 2 dry red chillies  
• 3 pearl onions  
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder  
• Salt, to taste  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice  
• 3 teaspoon mustard oil  

For The Paste  

• 3/4 cup fresh coconut, grated  
• 1 teaspoon ginger, chopped  
• 2 teaspoon garlic, chopped  
• 2 green chilies  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder  
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

Method   

• To begin making the Malabar prawn curry recipe, wash and clean the prawns.  
• Marinate the prawn with 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a juice of half a lemon for 30 minutes.  
• Take 1 cup of grated coconut and pour over 1 cup of boiling water and extract the coconut milk through a sieve.  
• Grind all the ingredients marked under ‘For the Paste’ with some water and keep it aside in a grinder.  
• In a heavy bottomed pan, fry the prawns on both sides in mustard oil about for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and keep aside.  
• In the same pan, add a little more oil and when hot, add in the mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once they start to splutter, add curry leaves, dry red chilies, and onions.  
• Fry till the onions turn a little brown and then add the ground masala. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes or till the oil starts to come out from it on medium heat.  
• Add salt and tamarind paste and cook further for 3 to 4 minutes.  
• Now add the prawns and cook for 3 to 4 minutes and then add the coconut milk.  
• Let it come to a boil and then lower the heat and let the curry cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.  
• Switch off the gas and keep it covered to trap the aroma of the curry inside.